This movie is not what I was expecting. In a biopic of Robbie Williams, one would expect colour, theatrics, music and dancing and this movie doesn't disappoint on spectacle. But where lesser biopics take you on a journey through an artists hits, this movie takes you on a journey through Robbie Williams psyche as he tries to come to terms with getting everything he ever wanted but feeling like he's still not enough.
The movie moves at break-neck pace and there are very few moments where the movie stops to breathe, yet it's a credit to Michael Gracey and the team around him that the movie still packs powerful emotional punches. Jonno Davies is fantastic as Robbie, capturing his movements and idiosyncrasies perfectly. The team at Weta should also be commended for their incredible work transforming his performance in the a chimpanzee that symbolises how Robbie sees himself (a performing monkey, less evolved than those around him). Raechelle Banno plays Nicole Appleton (from All Saints) and puts in an emotional performance as Robbie's fiancé. Her dance performance and the montage of their meeting is truly one of the highlights of the film. Steve Pemberton is perfect as Robbie's father - the man who made him what he became in the worst way possible.
The film benefits greatly from being an independent film. It feels like the story Michael Gracey truly wanted to tell. The sex drugs and rock and roll are laid bare in all their grotesque glory. Robbie Williams himself should also be greatly commended for allowing the movie to lay all his flaws and mistakes at the feet of the audience. He does not come off well in large swathes of the movie and the movie is enhanced by his honesty with the audience. His singing and voice over work was also exceptional.
This film is bombastic and in your face for almost the entire run time, yet much like the man it's capturing, it has a sensitive soul just beneath all the bravado. It's the best film of the year, a visual and auditory feast. I hope it achieves the success it deserves.
